The Awesomeness of 30 for 30

I do this every now and then – go silent on the blog. Sometimes it is just life getting busy, other times it is just because I don’t have much to say. Lately – just been busy. The search process for our student pastor seems has increased in intensity a bit over the last month. It’s good – but time consuming.

To unwind a bit at night – I’ll watch Netflix. Especially now that ESPN’s 30 for 30 series is on it. These are some incredible movies – MOST of them are incredible. None of them have been awful – but there have been a few that haven’t delivered like I thought they would.

The Mehhhh List:

Jordan Rides The Bus
I was a huge Jordan fan growing up. I still think he is the greatest basketball player ever. However, the more that is revealed about Jordan the person – the more I am not a fan. His Hall of Fame speech comes immediately to mind. MJ has been revealed to be a big jerk so this film stands out as being just more fodder from the MJ PR machine that existed when he played. ‘Be like Mike.’ Ahhhh, no thank you.

However, for those who never got to see MJ play basketball in his prime – you missed something special. He was – without a doubt – the best basketball player ever.

Straight Outta LA
I’m sure some Raider fan just loves this take on the Raiders by Ice Cube. I never really got into it. I realize that may be because I can’t stand the Raiders but I’m still in awe of how a team that moves into a city, then moves out still has that many loyal fans. OR is it just the “hip-hop/gangsta” crowd that loves the Raiders in LA?

Unmatched
Martina and Chris Evert — really looking forward to this one and it just didn’t deliver for me. Don’t really know why – just didn’t have the intrigue and draw that the others have had.

The Good List:Once Brothers
Story of Vlade Divac and Drazen Petrovic’s relationship from childhood to the NBA. How civil war in Croatia changed this relationship. Vlade did a great job with this movie – acting as both narrator and director.

You Don’t Know Bo
I think Bo Jackson may just be the most incredible athlete my eyes have ever seen. I remember watching him as a Royal play the Texas Rangers in Arlington. He was a beast of a baseball player. I also remembering him torching the Tide for three years. Fans of Auburn have him as high – if not higher – in their pantheon of heroes as Alabama fans have Bear Bryant. Think this movie does a good job of unpacking the legend – think more could have been done on revealing to us who he is now.

The Legend of Jimmy the Greek
The story is intriguing – especially for those of us old enough to remember that CBS sports was the only NFL show on television. There was no ESPN or NFL Network. It was CBS and nothing else. While the story is great – the director goes for this “tell the story as if he was ‘the Greek.'” It doesn’t really work. The whole time I’m thinking – this guy does an atrocious Jimmy the Greek impression. But the story is incredible.

There Is No Place Like Home
Probably because I’m 27 miles from Lawrence, Kansas but I thought this was a great story of the rules of basketball and it’s journey to get those rules at KU.

The Must See List:

The Announcement
Any kid in high school or older remembers the day Magic Johnson announced he had contracted the HIV virus. And the fallout of the story afterward. Magic Johnson is still one of favorite players of all time. But I remember the day as if it was yesterday.

The Best That Never Was
The story of Marcus Dupree. If you were fortunate to see him play – in flashes at Oklahoma and in the USFL – he was incredible. Great story telling.

Pony Excess
I was living in Texas and DFW area when all of this went down. CRAZY to see it from this perspective years later.

Without Bias
My favorite college player when I was in high school. Was devastated the night he died. So were the Celtics.

The U
It’s about the Miami Hurricanes and the context surrounding their rise and dominance of college football in the 90’s. I love it because Alabama beat their brains out in the middle of that run. But it’s MUST SEE because Miami radically changed the landscape of College Football. Some would argue that change was for the worse. Style and flash became just as important on tradition. But Miami changed more than just that.

Small Potatoes: Who Killed The USFL
This may have the most incredible interview with Donald Trump ever caught on film. He actually gets up and leaves the interview. Priceless. Great film – especially for football diehards.

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2 thoughts on “The Awesomeness of 30 for 30”

Normally I read your posts’ and I got really excited when I saw the title because I am turning 30 on Easter….wwwhhhhaaatttt???!!???!!??!! But it’s not about me and I am not even sure what its about but I do know what the pony express is/was had to do with mail right??? Did you know this because I have no idea what you are saying under that title Where are the posts’ about your crafts and home cooked meals, ha, jk!!!